Converting Forgotten Realms monsters

[Shade]

Originally Posted by MMIII Glossary

Energy Charge (Su): This ability bestows vital energy at a touch, and happens automatically when a melee or ranged attack hits. Each successful energy charge bestows one or more positive levels (the creature's description specifies how many) on living creatures. Unless otherwise specified in the creature's description, a draining creature loses 5 hit points for each positive level it bestows. A creature may not have more positive levels than its Constitution bonus (minimum 1).

An affected creature gains a +1 competence bonus on all skill checks and ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws, and gains one effective level or Hit Die (whenever level is used in a die roll or calculation) for each positive level. A spellcaster gains one spell slot of the highest level of spells she can cast and (if applicable) one prepared spell of that level. These gains persist until the positive level goes away.

Positive levels remain for 24 hours or until removed with a spell, such as restoration. After 24 hours, the positive level automatically goes away.

Undead react to positive levels the way nonundead react to negative levels. An undead character with negative levels at least equal to its current level is instantly destroyed. After 24 hours, an undead must make a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 attacker's HD + attacker's Cha modifier). (The DC is provided in the attacker's description.) If the saving throw succeeds, the positive level goes away with no harm to the creature. The afflicted creature makes a separate saving throw for each positive level it has gained. If the save fails, the positive level goes away, but the creature's level (or HD) is also reduced by one.

Blood Warriors must kill to maintain their strength. For every week the troop goes without killing, each warrior loses 5 hp. If a Blood Warrior is killed by any means, all remaining Blood Warriors also lose 1 hp. Blood Warriors regain hit points by killing; for each victim, each member of the troop regains 1 hp. No Blood Warrior’s hp total can exceed 64 hp.

Necessary Slaughter (Su?): Blood warriors must kill to maintain their strength. If a troop of blood warriors fails to kill sentient creatures totaling at least X Hit Dice each week, each member of the troop gains one positive level.

Additionally, should a blood warrior be destroyed, each remaining member of the troop gains one positive level.

For every X Hit Dice of sentient creatures slain by blood warriors, each member of the troop removes one positive level. If a blood warrior currently has no positive levels, it gains one negative level.

Undead react to positive levels the way nonundead react to negative levels. An undead character with positive levels at least equal to its current level is instantly destroyed. After 24 hours, an undead must make a DC X Will save. If the saving throw succeeds, the positive level goes away with no harm to the creature. The afflicted creature makes a separate saving throw for each positive level it has gained. If the save fails, the positive level goes away, but the creature's level (or HD) is also reduced by one.

An undead creature with a negative level gains a +1 competence bonus on all skill checks and ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws, and gains one effective level or Hit Die (whenever level is used in a die roll or calculation) for each negative level. A spellcaster gains one spell slot of the highest level of spells she can cast and (if applicable) one prepared spell of that level. These gains persist until the negative level goes away. Negative levels remain for 24 hours or until removed.

[demiurge1138]

Looks about right to me.

[freyar]

Everything looks good!

I think the gaunt conversion was in the Bestiary of the Realms by Boyd and Costa... But they're more associated with Myrkul than Bhaal, I guess.

Edit: you got in there before I wrote...

[Shade]

How many Hit Dice of killin' should be necessary?

Suggestions for the save DC to remove the positive level?

[freyar]

The DC should be 15 if we want to make it sort of easy to remove the positive level, DC 20 if hard.

Need to kill their total HD of creatures per week? Twice that?

[demiurge1138]

Let's split the difference and make it 18. Let's say that the troupe needs to kill its own HD (that's a lot of 1st level commoners!).

[Shade]

Indeed!

Updated.

[freyar]

Looks good. I also like the language and think Necessary Slaughter should be Su.

[Shade]

Skills: Ride +6*, 11 more ranks (*includes -6 armor check penalty)

Challenge Rating: 3-4 (They are nowhere near as tough as a similar-HD mummy at CR 5)

Treasure: Standard? (The original text says "as when alive")

Advancement: None? (Should they remain uniform, but gain permanent positive/negative levels?)

Another thought just crossed my mind that might be appropriate. Since they were warriors in life, and are melee-focues, what if we gave them an ability that says they have the BAB as fighters of their level, and qualify for feats as if they were fighters of a level equal to their Hit Dice? I've seen this ability somewhere before, and think it was called "martial training". If we gave them this, I could see them being a strong CR 4.

[demiurge1138]

Giving them martial training would do a good job of toughening them up. I'm fine either way, with them either being sorta weak or powerful fighter-types.

I like the idea of permanent negative/positive levels instead of advancement.

[freyar]

Let's go for martial training.

Well, positive levels become permanent and change HD, so we could just do the same thing for negative levels if we change Necessary Slaughter a little.

[Shade]

Updated.

Is 24 hours too short a duration for the negative level to become permanent?

Suggestion for the additional 11 ranks?

[freyar]

Maybe it should take a week (or ten-day in FR) for the negative level to become permanent. Otherwise, these guys could advance real fast.

How about Intimidate? It's even on the fighter class list, so it's appropriate.

[Shade]

Updated.

What's left?

[demiurge1138]

Looks doneish to me.

[freyar]

I'm a little worried about the negative levels converting to HD still, actually at the moment. First, we might want to say that "permanent" negative levels are really HD advancement. Next, when do negative levels normally expire? If they just last forever unless these things get a positive level, I think any negative level will become permanent (because the negative level will always last a week). So, solutions could either be: negative levels last a couple of days but can be "renewed" or negative levels have to last 2 weeks before becoming permanent. Thoughts?

[Shade]

I suppose the "permanent negative levels are really HD advancement" option seems the truest in spirits. What do the rest of you think?

[demiurge1138]

I agree, but I think they need to stay on a long time before becoming advancement.

[freyar]

How about we replace this (from what we have)

These gains persist until the negative level goes away. Negative levels become permanent after one week.

with the following?

"These gains persist until the negative level goes away (is removed by the gain of a positive level). A negative level that is not removed by a positive level for 3 weeks becomes permanent, resulting in advancement by 1 HD."

[demiurge1138]

That looks good!